All I know is, PLEASE you guys, you need to quit backing into the damn spots. As soon as IdleAir went out of business, all the drivers decided they needed to back into the parking spots, which most of the time means blind-sideing in. the spots are angled and made to be PULLED into nose first. I have 3 buddies who have had their trailers backed into, and myself this week got hit by a guy trying to back his truck into a nose-in spot.

Be professionals, that's all I'm asking. It takes a TON more effort and risk to back into one of these spaces, than it does to back out in the morning. And there is plenty of room to back out, I was able to pull into a spot and back all the way out and have a 1/2 truck length between me and the truck directly behind me. they are designed to be like this, use em the way they are made.

 

When I park in a defunt IdleAire spot, I do just like 90% of the other trucks using them - I back in. I'd much rather back into it and risk scraping a trailer than backing out and taking the nose off of a custom-built hood on a Pete.

 

But as long as you back out, there is PLENTY of room behind you, you will come nowhere near close to hitting the truck behind you. I think most drivers are scared to back out.

As for the "scraping a trailer" goes, you should try explaining that to the Celedon driver that scraped my dry-bulk tank Monday. He is now I'm sure UNEMPLOYED seeing that it's not like a van and the entire side of the trailer has to be replaced at a cost of $33,000..... plus I had on hazmat and the DOT and AR State troopers had to be called. And yes, he just barely scraped it but the walls are thin and it caved and cracked a weld.

 

I've been backed into a normal space which was located behind a row of "Idle-Aire". I woke up in the morning to see the guy in front of me trying to back out of his space. I blew the air-horn, tried to get him on the CB, and got to see him seriously shorten up the nose on the truck next to me. All before I got my pants on... With about 25 degree temps outside. Idle aire is a bad idea that's gotten much worse. The sooner they take all that scrap-iron out, the better.

 

Well, I guess I should have clarified "professional drivers" to pull into the space, not these wheel holders out here now. I honestly try to park between 2 trucks already spotted for the night cuz I'm so worried about getting hit and the guy taking off. I've seen it happen sooo many times. I hate the way this industry will give just about anyone a cdl now just to get their freight moving. I park at as many tank wash facilities as I can so I don't have to deal with them all.